My main campaign platform is to ensure that older people get a decent living wage.

Estonia is a culture that celebrates youth, the last two prime ministers Jüri Ratas and Toivo Roivas have been under the age of 40. It is not polite to say a lady’s age but I am sure she won’t mind me saying our president Kersti Kaljulaid is still a young woman

In the USA’s 200 old odd years, there has never been a head of government younger than 40.

Estonia is a country which promotes itself as a Mecca of modernity; universal wifi, IT start-ups, e-government and e-voting are the buzz words.

Old people were once still useful because they had skills and knowledge they could pass down. Old Estonian skills that it took a lifetime to master. Like; what time of the year to collect wood from the forest, how to dig a well, take water from the well, preserve foodstuff, build a beehive or repair furniture.

In today’s consumer culture, people buy everything they need, they make nothing. Old people can and do feel redundant.

Capitalism is built on the principle that people make their own money instead of having it handed it to them by the government.

The right of centre parties has this attitude that if you can’t work and make money then it is too bad. “Kes ei töötab see ei söö “(Who doesn’t work doesn’t eat) as the song goes.

Estonia has only been capitalist for 27 years and only been in the EU for 13 years.

A lot of people simply couldn’t save for their retirement. A young person may struggle because of bad decision-making or sometimes because of bad family conditions. An old person struggles because of communism.

Third World nations don’t have pensions. Relatives provide financial support. People like to have a lot of children because the more children you have the better your pension policy.

In the developing world, your children are your pension.

Why is this still going on in Europe?

I believe the pension increases are tied into other issues and if we fix this problem it will help fix other issues.

If pensioners had better pensions, their family members could spend more on themselves. Tradesmen would make more money because the sons and daughters of pensioners have more disposable income. Yes, rising pension would increase government spending, but it would also boost the economy which means more taxes for the government.

Nowadays, many pensioners must go out and work in minimum wage jobs. In Estonia, most pensioners are women as men die young.

Increasing pensions would reduce the pay gap. I have campaigned for this before. I was attacked and demonised by my political opponents.

The bittersweet irony was THIS IS NOT MY IDEA! I gained this knowledge from a leading feminist, an expert in her field. I cannot say this person’s name and she will never say this publically.

There is an entire industry built around the myth that the pay gap is caused by patriarchy, and patriarchy is worse in Estonia than anywhere else. Anyone who says otherwise is villain

Since I am a foreigner and can get away with saying stuff that no-one else will or can say I will say again. We must rise pensions to reduce the pay gap to average EU levels!

Some people question will ask: “why are you talking about pensions here?

“The local elections are concerned with local issues and in any case, you’re not able to do anything about it.”

This is true, I can’t guarantee anything.

Only the voter can guarantee a decent living for pensioners.

A vote for me will ensure that the government parties and the parties in opposition will take note and realise that they really ought to make this issue a key issue. Gay marriage, tax reform, immigration, e-residency and e-government, developing a skilled labour force, these are important issues, but a decent living pension should be at the heart of the national debate.

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